Fire-escape



(Ne Model.)

L. LESTER.

FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 485,954. Patented NOV. 8, 1892.

| EYERS co. vuo'mumo UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE. A

LUCRETIA LESTER, OF CUBA, NEW YORK.

Fl RE- ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,954, dated November 8, 1892.

Application filed June 18, 1892. Serial No. 437,111- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUORETIA LESTER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Cuba, in the county of Allegany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of tireescapes in which a rope is employed in connection with a friction device, whereby a person may lower himself to the ground from a building or structure; and it consists in the construction and combination of the parts, as

will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view showing the application of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view. Fig. 3 is a 1011- gitudinal section. Fig. 4. is a sectional view on the line as a: of Fig. 3.

The friction-clutch of the fire-escape is made up of two parts A and B, which are pivotally connected to each other at their upper ends and at their lower ends are provided with hooks a and b, which extend in the same dirrction, one hook being adapted to engage with a belt placed around the waist of the person using the device, while the other prevents the hand slipping off the clamping portion of the section B, and for this reason the hook I) has a smaller curve than the hook a.

The sections A and B are corrugated longitudinally, and these corrugated surfaces are grooved or channeled to receive the rope, so that when the sections are clamped upon said rope it will be given a number of small bends to retard its progress through the device. The

section A is provided above its hook with an outwardly-projecting lug at, having an aperture cl, through which the rope passes to prevent it swinging away from the section, the 5 rope being also confined between the upper ends of the two sections. The upper end of the sectionA is provided with outwardly-projecting portions cc, which fit over the reduced upper end of the section B and are connected thereto by a pivot-bolt. By reducing the upper end of the section B shoulders ff are provided, against which the projecting portions 6 c of the section A will strike and prevent the sections swinging far apart. It will also be noted that the section B has a portion which extends above the pivot toward the aperture through which the rope passes, so that should the operator lose control of the device by letting go of the same frictional contact of the rope with the end of the section B above the pivot will cause the lower end of said section to swing outwardly and clamp or jam upon the rope, so as to bring the friction device to a dead-stop, thus giv ing the person who is using the clamp an opportunity to properly manipulate the same by grasping and drawing the sections toward each other, which movement regulates the frictional contact of the sections upon the rope, so that the descent can be regulated.

The device, besides being used as shown in the drawings and as described, may also be used by a person in a building to lower another person or object, in which case the device is reversed upon the rope and the hook at passed over a stationary object, so that the rope can be paid out between the sections.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isr 8 5 1. In a frictional fire-escape, the con1bina-- tion of the jaws A and B, having a series of corrugations with central recesses, said sections being pivoted to each other, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth. o

2. In a frictional fire-escape, the combination of the sections A and B, provided with corrugations having central recesses, and a pivot for securing the parts to each other, one of the sections having a straight portion above .9 5 and to one side of the pivot, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a frictional fire-escape, the combination of the sections A and 13, having corrugated inner faces, one of the sections having a projecting lug, with an aperture serving as In testimony whereof I affix my signature in a guide for the rope, and a hook a, outwardlypresence of two itnesses. extended portion having a pivot to one side LUCRETIA LESTER. or out of line wlth the aperture d, a section 5 B, having a straight portion above the pivot, \Vitnesses:

shoulders f f, and a hook at the end farthest VVALTER D. ORMISTON, from the pivot, substantially as shown. GEORGE FORBES. 

